February 15th: Assault on Janwall

The sun has begun to rise lazily over the great city Walls in the distance as the city that never sleeps begins stirring to its morning doings. There is more noise than usual from the streets and common room, as people buzz and gossip about the exciting events of the last week.

Zeiss takes the Leycite with him, goes for a breakfast, give some of his food to Rainbow and waits for the others. Soon, they would be leaving Holtburg for Janwall.

Kolson goes through his morning ablutions, torn about the upcoming trip. On the one hand he is glad to be traveling again and believes in what the party is doing, but on the other he wants to stay in Holtburg and start organizing things.

He mentally shrugs. He knows he'd never be able to live with himself if he stayed behind while his friends face danger.

With that in mind, he heads down to breakfast in the common room, joining anyone who is there and making friendly small talk until it is time to leave.

Checking his pack and hoisting Zipar up on it, Snarg goes down to eat breakfast with the party.

Breakfast is a wonderful array of different types of breads... blueberry, cinnamon, pumpernickel, wheat, oat... all toasted lightly and with butter or jam, as well as a serving of baked tomatoes with mushroom slices, tender slices of turkey bacon, and a large platter of jammy dodgers. There is also a small selection of fruit, including kiwi and strawberry, as well as orange juice, grapefruit juice, milk, chocolate milk, almond milk, mint milk, and strawberry milk.

When the whole group comes for their breakfast, Zeiss speaks up.

"Since I did not see him with the rest of you after I... got back, I searched for Higaide and found out that he took a ship for southern Aluvia."

He pauses.

"I think he will try to return to his island."

He takes another bite of bacon.

"Oh, uh, alright. Can't blame someone for wanting to get back home." Snarg says between mouthfuls of food. "I mapped out a route for us when we're ready to go. Bob's ready to go, yep?"

"I can't say I'm surprised." Kolson sighs, but he understood. Raising his orange juice in a toast, Kolson says, "To Higaide: may he finds what he seeks before death finds him."

Zeiss doesn't raise his glass. Instead, he gives some fruit to Rainbow.

"Sure!" Snarg grabs the nearest glass and whacks it against Kolson's.

"Higs isn't fragile. He'll pull through, I'm sure." Hanuel raises a glass and drinks from it.

The trip to the North Gate by itself feels like it takes longer then the rest of the trip will, but once you get there you are allowed out through the traveler section after a minor search with no issues.

The path Snarg has picked out for you heading north is an odd one, avoiding the main road (which actually heads more towards Irondell and through a forest anyways) and taking one of the lesser side roads. It's still well paved and well taken care of, of course, and the party encounters no problems or other difficulties along the way. All told the journey only takes about 5 hours, and it is 1 PM by the time you get near the town. With its back up against the ocean, Janwall itself is a fairly simple looking affair, larger then most towns and cities you've seen thus far in Naverre but stretched out across quite a width up and down the coastline. There are at least two docks you can see and, as you glance around, not a single person or animal to be heard nor seen. You are currently standing about 500 feet outside the edge of the port town, in relative silence.

Zeiss gets off his horse and look at the town. He leaves Rainbow in the wagon, who looks at him with worried eyes.

"Don't worry, just going to have a look."

Assuming the others know what he will be doing, Zeiss goes to scout out ahead, trying to be stealthy by hiding behind trees, rocks and holes. He makes sure there is always 50 feet between him and the rest of the group.

"Lets all go together. I have a feeling splitting up is a bad idea."

*Z and Hanuel had left super early leaving a still sleepy Sumomo with Zeiss so she and Rainbow could play before breakfast. She returns to the inn to see Sumomo greedily gulping down a glass of chocolate milk so big you wouldn't think she'd be able to hold it much less fit all the liquid inside her. Upon seeing Z she gives a gleeful mew and comes flying over having abandoned the now empty milk glass. Z shoots a somewhat annoyed look at Zeiss before sitting down to her breakfast. At the mention of Higaide's leaving she shakes her head and mumbles what you are fairly certain is the word "idiot" under her breath.*

*Once on the road Z curls up in the back of the wagon drawing her cloak over her with the cowl over her face and appears to sleep.*

Zeiss:
You are inching your way forward when a sudden stab of pain shoots through your shoulder and, shortly thereafter, your other shoulder. Looking down you see two crossbow bolts jutting out of them, both of which have a virulently bitter scent to them, which you immediately recognize as a knockout poison.

Rest of the Party:
Zeiss is inching forward, bit by bit, and pauses for a bit. Nothing seems out of the ordinary.

Zeiss, knowing full well what was happening, manages to shout :

"It's a trap! Take cover!"

*Z remains motionless under her cloak*

Looking about for the attacker, Rory rushes behind the nearest cover he can find.

Hanuel ducks for cover behind a nearby tree, drawing their crossbow, and kneeling down to summon Dara.

Sethos runs behind the wagon and pulls out his crossbow, knocking on the back to tell it to stop moving, while they assess the situation.

Spoiler:

Not seeing or hearing anything, Rory refrains from movement and tries to stay quiet.

Nothing happens for six tense seconds. Zeiss rather unceremoniously falls to his side, seemingly paralyzed given how stiff he is and how immobile.

Kolson ducks down in the wagon, trying to spot where the attacks are coming from.

Spoiler: